The fever that started in Ostia is sweeping through Rome, and Jonathan, Flavia, Nubia, and Lupus are called by the Emperor to investigate. The friends' investigations take them from the Imperial Palace to Tiber Island, but Jonathan is distracted by a secret mission of his own. Suddenly, he finds that everything is terrifyingly out of control. This is the seventh volume in the popular series of mysteries set in ancient Rome, which have been widely praised for their fast-paced plots, well-drawn characters, and authentic Roman setting.